[SOLVED] Bluetooth input lag and stuttering

[shanethegamer101]

So I built my computer about a year ago on the Christmas of 2018, and I didn't notice until afterwards that my motherboard didn't come with bluetooth. This wasn't really an issue until I started buying bluetooth items, and at that point I went to bestbuy and bought a Bluetooth adapter. It worked great for about 10 months, but over the past few months there have been some technical difficulties. I use a dualshock 4 playstation 4 controller which uses bluetooth, aswell as bluetooth headphones. A common question I get is why not just use them wired, but my controller literally can't, and my headphones sound much better using the wireless feature. Ever since around November, my Bluetooth was buggy. The first issue I saw was that my headphones would stutter every now and then, but it wasn't too much of an issue. Gradually but swiftly though, they started stuttering to the point where I couldn't play games without losing because I couldn't hear what was happening. My computer and monitor don't have speakers so headphones were the only way. I started playing games with my controller such as Brawlhalla, and my controller then started getting input lag as well. It was first just input lag every now and then, but now its almost constant, and randomly it just starts moving my character in one direction on its own. I've noticed that when my headphones stutter, my controller starts to bug up as well, and I've also noticed that my headphones will stutter when I start to move my head around and farther away from the Bluetooth adapter. (Keep in mind I used to be able to go from my room to my kitchen which is at least 10 yards away with perfect connection.) I decided to buy a new Bluetooth adapter to see if that was the issue, but it was not. Hopefully somebody can help me fix this?


Adapter: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-bluetooth-4-0-usb-adapter-black/4884001.p?skuId=4884001

Headphones: https://www.skullcandy.com/shop/headphones/bluetooth-headphones/hesh-3

Controller: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-dualshock-4-wireless-controller-for-sony-playstation-4-jet-black/5580915.p?skuId=5580915

Graphics Card: EVGA GTX 1080

(The controller is actually a foggy see through red so you can see the parts but I couldn't find that on the website.)

 

[menlui]

Start off by completely removing the Bluetooth drivers from your system, restart and reinstall them. Are you using DS4windows for the controller as it doesn't natively work with windows? If both the controller and headphones are going at the same time it sounds like either the adaptor, driver or out of range. The ideal range for Bluetooth is a couple of feet and if you are going beyond this it may be going out of range leading to an interrupted signal.

 

[shanethegamer101]

Start off by completely removing the Bluetooth drivers from your system, restart and reinstall them. Are you using DS4windows for the controller as it doesn't natively work with windows? If both the controller and headphones are going at the same time it sounds like either the adaptor, driver or out of range. The ideal range for Bluetooth is a couple of feet and if you are going beyond this it may be going out of range leading to an interrupted signal.

 

[shanethegamer101]

I'm currently not using ds4, because I used it before but then realized I don't actually need to. I might try to delete all the bluetooth drivers and reinstall, and if you could tell me how, that would be great. The range probably isn't the issue as I sit at my desk when using the controller and headphones, and my adapter is plugged into my computer only about a foot away from my head. The weird thing with the range is that if I slightly move my head it will cut out, but when I move it back it goes back on. It's weird because like the slightest movement of less than an inch cuts it out.

 

[Solandri]

I've noticed that when my headphones stutter, my controller starts to bug up as well, and I've also noticed that my headphones will stutter when I start to move my head around and farther away from the Bluetooth adapter. (Keep in mind I used to be able to go from my room to my kitchen which is at least 10 yards away with perfect connection.) I decided to buy a new Bluetooth adapter to see if that was the issue, but it was not. Hopefully somebody can help me fix this?

From the sketchy details you give, my guess would be there's either a new source of interference, or the Bluetooth antenna on your headset has broken or disconnected.

Bluetooth operates at 2.4 GHz. So there are lots of potential sources of interference. First thing I would do is get an app for your phone which lets you see all the nearby WiFi networks, and see if there are lots of other 2.4 GHz WiFi networks in use. 2.4 GHz doesn't have a lot of bandwidth, so any more than three 2.4 GHz WiFi networks guarantees interference. Fewer if you're using Bluetooth and/or wireless mice/keyboards. Microwave ovens also interfere with it.

If it's an antenna problem, that would explain your headset's shorter range (even after changing Bluetooth adapters). And when your headset misses some packets due to the poor connection, it spams the 2.4 GHz frequency trying to request a resend, which interferes with your controller's connection. It would also explain them cutting in/out with your head movements. When you tilt them a certain way the antenna connects, when you tilt them the other way the antenna disconnects.

That'd be my best guess at an explanation for the symptoms you're seeing. Do you have a second set of Bluetooth headphones that you can try? Or can you just try playing a game without the headset for a while, to see if the controller still lags or if removing the headset from the equation fixes the problem.